How to Connect to Your Inner Truth Part 2 One of the questions we constantly try to answer throughout this global life is: How do I want to lead my life? Last week, in episode 94, I discussed why this is important to answer. If you have not already make sure to tune into that one! There is a vague sense of floating and dissatisfaction that often comes from a lack of connection to our inner voice. Being a global nomad means disconnection from our roots, our culture, and our environment. So,...

On the podcast, I often say that the truth is inside of us and that to gain clarity, we need to look inside and not outside of us. If you’ve followed along for a while, you know that I help people navigate what I call serial expatriation and transitions, where one international move follows several more.     When we’re constantly adding new cultures, new faces, new schools, new identities, and new nationalities, we are evolving and changing. It is sometimes difficult to connect to the...

Have you ever felt like something was missing in your life? Or maybe you’ve felt that you’re meant to do something more impactful?    Welcome to Love Your Expat Life, where we explore stories of extraordinary transformation and growth to create a location-independent life we love.   In this episode, Beth Mina shares her story about how she rearranged her life to live in a nourishing place, and how she changed careers, all the while also juggling being a new wife.    Although she had...

Have you ever felt a sense of disconnection when reuniting with friends and family back home? Personally, I know this struggle all too well, and that's why I want to help. This disconnection is a common experience, so just know you’re not the only one experiencing it. Many of us have felt that disconnection and longing to belong when we return to our home country. In this week's episode, we'll explore how to bridge the gap and reconnect with loved ones when living abroad.   We’ll start by...

I was coaching a client who imagines a scenario in which she either has a high paid job in the US, or she can move to different country she dreams of living in which would cause her to take a lower paying job plus lose her status and identity.    We often do that. We put ourselves in a “ black and white” scenario.    In essence what my client was saying was: If I move, then I’ll lose out on all of this. If I don’t move, I’ll lose out on all that. Last week we talked about how to know...

In this episode, I would like to discuss the significant obstacle to what you want for yourself in various areas of your life. For instance, in your professional or personal life. You might want to get even more specific & focus on your health, finances, romantic relationships, and other aspects of your life.   What you want is what I call your vision.    As humans, I believe our highest form of expression and evolvement comes from following what we want—our true desires and not what...

Temis Tormo, a brilliant journalist, mom, & global nomad, shares her intimate details on her upcoming move with her diplomat husband & TCK’s.    In this episode, you’ll learn how to navigate the emotions of a move & how to move intentionally with TCK’s– helping them better acclimate to upcoming change.   We also talk about: 4:20– An intro to how Temis evolved into who she is today 6:41– A habit that makes its way around the world 8:40– Where is home? 9:40– The significance...

Personal Coaching 101: Are You Taking Action on the Wrong Kind of Discomfort? Discomfort is the currency we exchange for our dreams. But, are you taking action on the wrong type of discomfort? It's important to understand that this level of discomfort is a natural part of the process, and it can manifest as feelings of doubt, fear, trepidation, frustration, and confusion. When we set big goals for ourselves and venture out of our comfort zone, our primitive brain – which is wired for safety...

The "new year, new you" narrative can be counterproductive and out of reach for many of us with constant lives to build elsewhere.  All the pressure to make resolutions and become a "new you” can be overwhelming. And the truth is, quick fixes don't work. In fact, most of them are ineffective in the long term. The beginning of the year is like a breath of fresh air, a new start, a chance to write a new chapter. We often think about the things we want to start doing and the things we want to...

A few days ago, my family & I watched a brilliant documentary about Gerry Lopez, a world-famous surfer, and traveler. Gerry's life journey is inspirational, and as I watched the documentary, I couldn't help but think about the changes he made in order to achieve such mastery in surfing.   He tells the story of how he transformed and kept transforming. He’s well into his 70’s but still embodies change day in & day out. As I watched this documentary I was paying attention to the...

Why is it that we have such a hard time celebrating ourselves?   As we broadcast this episode, this is the last episode of this year. I want to talk about how to celebrate ourselves.    I bet there are so many things you showed up for this year. Maybe you settled in a new country and continued to show up at your kid’s practices and multiple birthday parties and school events while preparing the whole move, maybe you settled up a new home ( and possibly multiple homes), unpacked a full...

Let’s be honest here; for most of us, resolutions do not work.  Let me rephrase, it seems like sunshine & rainbows for a few weeks, and suddenly, it drops off. To help you get inspired and set yourself up for success, I'd like to share some of my favorite end-of-year rituals. These practices have helped me take stock of the past year and start the new year with a clear vision for the life I want to create.  I hope they can do the same for you. Take a few moments to reflect on your past...

It's time to look back on the past year, take stock of what we liked or disliked and give us the means to approach the month of January with clear ideas on what we want to create and accomplish for this New Year.    This is a great segue to share with you a practice that I have adopted. Instead of resolutions,  I prefer to adopt a word for my year. A word that represents my intention for this year, a journey, and a destination.   In this episode, you’ll learn: The benefits of adopting a...

Well-being is a state of being comfortable, healthy, and happy. It comes from within. On the other hand, false pleasure is a temporary or momentary feeling of comfort that comes from something external.    The podcast topics this month are all around this question: why bother to change if this is hard work?    Why bother seeing what we are capable of?   Why bother with pursuing a life that's free of all of these delicious false pleasures?    The holidays are an opportune time to eat...

The holidays can be emotional. Sometimes it’s a joyous feeling of celebrations & traditions, but it can also be a time of sadness or homesickness.     Especially for ex-pats, traditions from home might be missed. Traditions are a way to feel connected to our family or tribe. They’re a way to feel connected to past generations. So when we aren’t able to celebrate certain holidays in a way that’s meaningful to us we feel disconnected.   In this episode you’ll learn: Why the holiday...

Gratitude is not something that depends on the situation you are in. It's something you create with your thoughts. The more you practice it, the easier it will be to feel it and let it drive your expat life.   In this episode we’ll discuss: How it helps connect you with others  How it can help you cope with difficult times How it can help you be more self-compassionate    By choosing your thoughts on purpose & connecting to that gentle voice inside you, you’ll welcome a different...

Lauren Wells is the founder and CEO of TCK Training and author of Raising Up a Generation of Healthy Third Culture Kids, The Grief Tower, and Unstacking Your Grief Tower.    She is an Adult TCK who spent her teenage years in Tanzania, East Africa.    She sits on the board of the TCK Care Accreditation as Vice Chair and is part of the TCK Training Research Team focusing on preventive care research in the TCK population.   In this episode of Love Your Expat Life, you’ll learn:   4:33–...

We are all hard-wired with anger because it’s related to the‘ fight, flight, & response’ of our sympathetic nervous system. We all feel some sort of high-intensity agitation that can turn into anger and even rage.    It’s often easy to recognize the sensation in our body…our hands tremble, our cheeks become beet red, and sweat emerges from our forehead. It usually carries a message that says something like this: “Someone is harming me, someone took something away from me.”   I invite...

Bonnie Miller's professional experience spans five decades as a social worker, psychotherapist, educator, consultant, social activist, and trainer. She has extensive experience in countries experiencing war, genocide, and oppression of minorities.    Currently, as Oral Historian and Podcast Host, Bonnie interviewed 20 Foreign Service spouses in the Partners in Diplomacy project through the Association for Diplomatic Studies &Training (adst.org) and 16 Foreign Service family members for...

In this episode, you’ll learn how to create calm and peace and move away from anxiety. Our sphere of control over our emotions is enormous and I would argue infinite: how we respond to what happens in our lives is going to change how we show up and what we create for ourselves.  Therefore, a shift from focusing our energy on what we can control and stopping wanting to control the world and other people will be the best way to live a life with less anxiety.  This shift happens when you...

This episode is a two-part series to describe a simple process to face uncertainty without anxiety. This episode is not for people who feel anxious to the point they cannot function properly. I would strongly advise you, if you are in that case, to seek medical help. Here we are going to discuss situations of low-grade chronic anxiety.  Uncertainty about what’s coming next is a real issue for this community of brilliant global nomads. We are a smart, resilient, flexible, and remarkably...

Amel Derragui is a business and marketing coach and the founder of Tandem Nomads. Since 2015, she’s been on a mission to help solo entrepreneurs and small business owners across the world launch and grow their portable businesses, while assisting them to align with their lifestyles and their families' needs. She’s an international speaker, works with global organizations, and has been featured in various media such as Globally Living Magazine and Forbes magazine speaking on...

Priorities shift as we go through life.    As we go through life, we start prioritizing differently. And, this is true whether or not we move around the world.  However, the complexities and challenges we face are more regular, and thus, it takes a lot of energy to make sure that everyone is OK and also find the courage and strength to pursue our purpose. Careers give us a sense of purpose and identity as well as a sense of accomplishment and financial independence, and security....

Gouri Mirpuri is passionate about social entrepreneurship, youth empowerment, and environmental sustainability.  She combined these interests to set up the award-winning Learning Farm in Indonesia sixteen years ago, a residential farm working to give vulnerable youth and refugees a second chance in life through organic farming.   Gouri also founded the first ever co-working space for social entrepreneurs in South East Asia, Impact HUB Singapore, and continues to support Social Impact...

Eps. Title: 3 reasons you aren’t finding your life purpose as a global nomad In this episode, we’re going to talk about a common obstacle many global nomads face: how to find out what we want to do when we move around the globe every few years.   For most of us, we have to “ invent” a type of global career or something that creates purpose. This episode is for you if you tell yourself: *I don’t think I have a calling or a passion.  *I have not found what I want to do yet. This...